Thursday, May 16, 2013

A Toast to The Office

I started watching The Office in college after my parents insisted I tune in. Boy, I'm sure glad I did! I was instantly hooked after the first episode I watched: The Booze Cruise. My friends and I would meet every Thursday night to watch the mockumentary. If there wasn't a new episode, we'd watch reruns. Obsessed is an understatement. We had every line memorized, and no matter how many times we watched an episode, it still provoked big belly laughs. I'll never ever forget the roaring excitement that spread throughout the halls of our dorm when Pam and Jim first kissed. We loved the show so much, we even hosted our own Office Olympics. It was epic!

And just as the lives of the characters progressed, so did ours. Much like Pam, I was in a crummy relationship and managed to convince myself that Flyboy was just a really close friend. I was somewhat unaware that I was actually smitten and that "friend" would someday become my husband. Call me dense, but I didn't realize the similarities until my mom pointed them out to me. I denied it for the longest time, but she was right. As newlyweds transplanted to Texas, we didn't know anyone, but we found comfort in our trusty TV show. After a few months of settling down in Swell Rio, we thought it was time we add a Bernese Mountain Dog to our brood. On the 5.5 hour drive to pick her up, we decided that Pam's last name would be fitting. We named her Beesly! I told you we're obsessed.

There's just something so lovable about the painfully hilarious nine-to-fivers. The dialog was clever; I often found myself snorting or slapping the couch cushion because the one-liners were so stinking funny. Michael's antics, relationships with the staff, and his need to be liked were so endearing. Do I even need to mention the love-struck chemistry and awkward flirting between Jim and Pam? The show was refreshing!

Call me an emotional twit, but the thought of The Office series finale, which airs tonight, has made me snivel for the past few weeks. I must be a glutton for punishment, because I've gotten lost in a black hole of reruns and retrospective interviews with the cast and crew. I'm honestly not sure if I'm ready for tonight's episode; I'm not ready to close this chapter and say good-bye to a show that's meant so much to me. Of course, if you asked me this question a few years ago after Michael Scott's exit, I would have told you they should have ended the series right then and there. I was bitter, and I didn't think it would be the same without Steve Carell's beloved character. I took a year off, but Flyboy devotedly watched the show and convinced me to tune into the last season. Despite some of the ups and downs (um, Jim and Pam's breakdown!?!), I'm sure glad I did. I was reminded why I love The Office so very much. Thanks for the countless smiles, laughs, and episodes filled with George Foreman-grilled feet and rooftop grilled cheeses. Have a hanky and cocktail handy, because tonight's episode is gonna be long and hard...

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